Food for Thought with Suzanne Dunaway
Asparagus with Dijon mustard vinaigrette
I adore asparagus, especially the wild ones I have planted in my garden. Instead of saving enough for the spring omelet loved so in France, I can’t help myself and snap off the lovely fresh tops to eat raw as I go about my planting and harvesting. But the perfect firm asparagus one buys at our open market are the ones for this dish. I cut off only the tops that are tender, usually about 6-inches long, and I use the rest of the tender stems, just until the unchewable part starts, to slice thin and stir into risotto or omelets or frittate.
This vinaigrette was invented because my sister in law does not care for anchovies, and so I substituted Dijon mustard in the olive oil and lemon mix and came up with a winner.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus, about 6-inch tops only or wild ones if you can find enough!
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- Juice of large lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Fresh mint leaves
- Optional: 3 anchovies
Method
Steam the asparagus tops in salted water just until tender and green. Rinse immediately under cold water to preserve the color. Place in a serving bowl.
Mix all the ingredients with a whisk to make a smooth mixture and pour this over the asparagus, turning them once or twice before serving to coat each. Serve tepid or cold but tepid is better.
All content and recipes are copyright of Suzanne Dunaway.